Doug’s S.O.A.P Note 8/31/2018

The question: Will God destroy the godly person along with the evil? Or can/will God rescue the righteous person even when those who are evil are receiving punishment?

Here is what the question looked like to Abraham in Genesis 19:22, “Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked?”

This was an interesting week in Life Journal, our reading has taken us to some interesting yet difficult passages of the Bible. The Lord over many years sent prophet after prophet warning Israel to turn around and not head towards destruction. But, they refused to listen and often abused the people God sent to warn them. Finally, judgment day is upon them.

A few years back I was in Rome, Italy not Rome, Ohio. I was standing in front of a 15th-century picture that was over 12 feet high and 50 feet long of the sacking of Jerusalem. I stood there for the longest time and just wept over the destruction of people, men, women, children, babies, the old and young alike all facing death as the city was being set on fire.

God’s desire is to spare people from a judgment like this or the one people will face in eternity. Can God reduce the godly (his people whose knee has not bowed to idols in worship)? The answer is, yes. Yes He can and yes He does and yes He will. We see this throughout the Bible with the first Passover, with Lot in Genesis and here in Ezekiel 9.

Then the glory of the God of Israel rose up from between the cherubim, where it had rested, and moved to the entrance of the Temple. And the Lord called to the man dressed in linen who was carrying the writer’s case. He said to him, “Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of all who weep and sigh because of the detestable sins being committed in their city.” Ezekiel 9:3-4 NLT

And with us in the final judgment in Revelation. The books will be opened and everyone name who is in the Book of Life will be welcomed into the place God has prepared for them in heaven.

No matter what you are facing today, God still rescues His people from destruction. He knows how to pull you out of the most destructive situations. He always looks after his kids.

We believe giving is an act of worship that expresses our love and thankfulness